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War Cricket
One of the more dangerous insects on the island of Faranga in Risen, the war cricket is well-armored and flightless. They are aggressive and, in the course of wandering, can be encountered as early as Chapter 1. History With inhabitants of Faranga fearful of the release of dangerous creatures from the several ruins that have sprung up across the volcanic island, it is unclear to what extent creatures the Castaway encounters may be a part of this. It is possible to make certain assumptions, such as that wolves are not new to the island; however, Lizardmen and possibly giant scorpions have arrived with the risen ruins. Risen In Risen, war crickets are typically only found very near or inside the ruins around Faranga. Judging by the stature of the Nameless Hero, they are probably about 1.5 meters (5 feet) tall and nearly 2.5 meters (8 feet) long. Each limb is nearly as large in diameter as a human thigh, a total of six legs carrying it along the ground. Their front limbs ending in sharp points appear to be raptorial arms, although functionally they are used for stabbing, rather than grabbing, their prey. Tactics War crickets are capable hunters, able to quickly devastate a victim with swift stabbing motions while in close quarters. At medium range (about 1.5 to 4.5 meters to 15 feet away), their wings will flutter rapidly just before they make a devastating lunging attack that can break a block. Fortunately, their lunge attack does not stagger the Hero for long, so immediately blocking after will protect him in most cases from follow-up attacks. If dodging is timed well, as the war cricket either lunges or stabs, its opponent can slip to the side, where the cricket is exposed to weapon attacks. If either dodging is off or a blocking combat style is used instead, finding an opening is more difficult. Most attacks will be blocked by the cricket's front legs, a defense no other opponent without a weapon possesses. Even a blocked third attack in a sequence of sword swings will only slightly stagger the creature, and the damage is still wholly negated. However, immediately following a stab attack it is possible to land a hit successfully. This must so precisely follow the stab, however, that it is almost required to anticipate and react slightly earlier than normal to have the blow connect before a block by the cricket is again set up. Biding one's time to strike until right after a lunge attack provides the best opportunity for the cricket to be exposed for a counter strike. Since the lunge itself can break a block, it is advisable to learn the distance of the attack to be able to stand just beyond while still prompting the creature to use its lunge. Of course, a well-timed dodge (to the side or as a back step) provides ample opportunity to get some decent damage on the creature; this also, however, carries greater risk since a mistimed reaction may cause the desire damage to be sustained by the hero instead of dealt to the insect. Statistics Trivia * Naming Discrepancy: The primary connection between this insect and its eponym are its head and torso, including wings. The legs more closely resemble those of a crab or similar crustacean, and the adaptation of its front limbs are very similar to those of a praying mantis. Category:Risen Category:Creatures Category:Insects Category:Risen Creatures